Boxing Ledger's Archives

Sunday, July 31, 2011

BROOKLYN, NY (July 30, 2011) – It wasn’t until junior welterweight Gabriel “Tito” Bracero’s eleventh pro fight that he finally stopped an opponent inside the distance. Now, he looks like he’s making up for lost time. Bracero (17-0, 3 KOs) assaulted Floridian Danie van Staden (8-7, 4 KOs) for much of three rounds until a vicious right cross finished the night for good at 1:08 of round three in front of Bracero’s hometown fans at the Aviator Sports & Events Complex in Brooklyn, New York.

From the opening bell it was classic Bracero, with the local hero coming forward and pressing the action. van Staden fought back valiantly, but Bracero appeared to land at will as cheers of “Tito…Tito” rained upon the ring from his throngs of adoring fans. The onslaught of punches finally overcame van Staden in round two when a barrage of punches sent him to the deck. The brave van Staden rose as the round came to a close.

The third round was more of the same, and this time Bracero didn’t let van Staden hear the bell. Just moments into the round another barrage of punches, similar to the ones that put van Staden down for the first time, scored Bracero his second knockdown of the fight. Once again van Staden rose, but bravery would not be enough. Bracero continued pressing and moments later a picture perfect right cross sent van Staden down and out; a count was deemed unnecessary the bout was stopped immediately.

The punch, and its impact, was reminiscent of something off the fists of former world champion Randall “The Knockout King” Bailey, who was in attendance working van Staden’s corner.

“It was so hard, I didn’t really feel it in my hands,” Bracero said of the winning shot. “I knew I had him.”

For Bracero, it was the second straight time he has ended a fight in dominating fashion. In June, he finished Guillermo Valdes in one round in a similarly devastating style.

“The only knock anybody had on ‘Tito’ was that he couldn’t punch,” said Lou DiBella, promoter of Bracero and Broadway Boxing. “Well guess what? Now he has added power to his fan friendly style of fighting. What is the knock now? He is becoming a complete fighter.”

Saturday, July 30, 2011

LAS VEGAS (July 29, 2011) – World Boxing Association (“WBA”) and International Boxing Association (“IBA”) World Light Heavyweight Champion Beibut Shumenov unloaded a 23-punch explosion on three-time world title challenger Danny “The Bronx Bomber” Santiago in the ninth round, when the fight was stopped by referee Tony Weeks, in tonight’s main event that aired LIVE on TeleFutura’s “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” from South Point Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“I didn’t count the punches,” Shumenov said after the fight, “but I could have thrown more.”

“Fire & Fury” was promoted by KZ Event Productions (the Shumenov brothers –Beibut and Chingis – own and operate the Las Vegas-based KZ Event Productions) in association with Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chargin Productions, GuiltyBoxing and South Point Hotel Casino, and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and
AT&T.

Shumenov (12-1, 8 KOs) systematically broke-down a game Santiago (31-5-1, 19 KOs), WBA No. 15, using his jab and going to the body in the early rounds. “It definitely wasn’t like I expected,” Shumenov commented about the start of his third successful title fight. “He specifically prepared for my style. I knew he was tough but not that tough. He’s durable and can take good punches. I developed a blister on my right foot in the third round that made it hard for me to maneuver. I couldn’t put my combinations together because I was uncomfortable.”

Former world light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal watched the fight from ringside. “He said he wanted to fight me in Canada,” Shumenov said after speaking with Pascal in the ring. “I said he was from Canada, I’m from Kazakhstan, so let’s fight in Las Vegas where all champions dream of fighting. Pascal, Cloud, Dawson……I’m ready for anybody!”

“Shumenov is a great fighter,” Santiago remarked. “He has a good, sound technique. My eye swelled and got worse and I had trouble seeing the punches at the end. I thought I could have gone longer but, you live by the sword, you die by the sword.”

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Four-time cruiserweight champion Bobby “The Celtic Warrior” Gunn has made a name for himself in the square ring due to his ability to throw hands, exceptional knockout power and heart of a lion. He has achieved what many aspiring boxers dream of, but he’s not done yet.

On August 5, Gunn will be taking on MMA fighter Chris Thompson in a bareknuckle boxing match in Scottsdale, Arizona under London Prize Ring rules.

This will be the first organized bareknuckle boxing event since 1889 when John Sullivan defeated Jake Kilrain after a 75 round marathon fight to be declared the champion. In two weeks, Gunn will look to add another championship title to his already impressive resume.

“I am very excited for this fight. Fans watch fights to see guys trade punches, and we are going to put on a show,” said Gunn. “Everything has to have a starting point. I believe this can be the sport of the future. It’s the original form of boxing.”

Bareknuckle fighting is nothing new to Gunn, who has over 60 bouts under his belt throughout the world. Gunn wanted to have a bareknuckle contest with former MMA fighter Kimbo Slice not too long ago, but the fight never happened. While many critics and skeptics think bareknuckle brawling is too vicious, Gunn assures people that it is quite safe.

“Not only is the bareknuckle match an organized event with ring doctors, it is a fight between two professionals”, said Gunn. “This isn’t a back alley bum fight or bar fight. Safety is a big issue, and they have it covered.”

When MMA first emerged onto the scene, many believed the sport was barbaric and dangerous, but studies have shown that it is safer than boxing because of all the safety precautions taken. This is due to the ongoing and accrued punishment a boxer may experience throughout a fight, as opposed to one or two blows a MMA fighter may suffer before the fight is called.

“I want to make this sport cleaner, and show people that it’s not as ferocious as they think,” said Gunn. “We are going to show people that it’s not barbaric, and that’s the truth.”

“Bareknuckle fighting is a different style than boxing,” said Scibetta. “You don’t have as many head shots because fighters don’t want to break their hands, and there are certain areas you want to hit a guy. Bobby has a lot of experience with this, so we have been focusing a great deal on conditioning for this fight.”

Gunn is adamant about thanking his team for their ongoing support and getting him ready for another big fight.

LOS ANGELES, July 26 - "STAR POWER: Mayweather vs. Ortiz" just got propelled into another galaxy, as it was announced today that rising Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez will defend his WBC super welterweight championship against Alfonso Gomez on the televised undercard of the September 17 pay-per-view extravaganza featuring the WBC welterweight world championship mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Victor Ortiz.

Making this announcement more significant and unique is the fact that Alvarez and Gomez will face each other at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, while Mayweather and Ortiz will battle at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, creating a mega-event from two world-class cities.

Fans in attendance at each arena will be able to see the fight LIVE from the other arena, making this a first-time, split-site boxing experience taking place on Mexican Independence Day boxing weekend.

Both bouts will be produced and distributed LIVE by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Following the showing of Mayweather vs. Ortiz at STAPLES Center, fans in attendance will see two special post-fight concerts performed by Los Tucanes de Tijuana and El Gran Silencio.

"'STAR POWER' is living up to its name as a mega-event with the addition of Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfonso Gomez," said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO Mayweather Promotions. "To have this event emanate from two separate locations like STAPLES Center and MGM Grand Garden Arena is a testament to the size and magnitude of the event and what it will deliver to the fans in the arenas and those watching at home on pay-per-view. Floyd is absolutely thrilled that Alvarez vs. Gomez will be a part of this show from Los Angeles."

"This is a historic and unprecedented night for boxing and Golden Boy Promotions as we showcase the extraordinary talents of Mayweather, Ortiz, Alvarez and Gomez from two iconic and world-renowned venues in STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, the capitol of sports and entertainment and MGM Grand in Las Vegas, truly the boxing mega-center of the world," said Richard Schaefer, CEO Golden Boy Promotions. "This show is now even more loaded with stars, and to have Alvarez vs. Gomez join the magnificent boxing match-up of the year between Floyd Mayweather and Victor Ortiz is exactly why we named the fight 'STAR POWER,' which is expected to set attendance and viewership records in one night."

"September 17 at STAPLES Center will be a night to remember for boxing fans in Los Angeles as it will mark the first time the arena will host a boxing match, a pay-per-view viewing and a post-fight concert all on the same day," Lee Zeidman, STAPLES Center General Manager. "We are looking forward to what will no doubt be an incredible action-packed night of boxing and live entertainment."

"The MGM Resorts family is very excited to welcome the return of Floyd Mayweather to the MGM Grand on September 17," said Richard Sturm, president of Sports & Entertainment for MGM Resorts International. "This championship event marks Mayweather's first fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in more than 15 months and continues our tradition as the leader in the sports and entertainment industry."

"With the anticipation and star power of Mayweather-Ortiz from MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the addition of Alvarez vs. Gomez live from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and the celebration of Mexican Independence Day, viewers are in for a fantastic night of boxing on September 17," said Mark Taffet of HBO Pay-Per-View.

Tickets for Alvarez vs. Gomez are priced at $300, $150, $75 and $50, are on sale now and available for purchase online at ticketmaster.com, via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800)745-3000. Tickets are also available at STAPLES Center box office.

Tickets for Mayweather vs. Ortiz are priced at $1,250, $1,000, $600, $300 and $150, not including applicable service charges, with a total ticket limit of twelve (12) per person. Ticket sales are limited to ten (10) per person at the $1,250, $1,000, $600 and $300 price levels with a ticket limit of two (2) per person at the $150 price level. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Already Mexico's brightest young star, 21-year-old Canelo Alvarez (37-0-1, 27 KO's) of Guadalajara is quickly becoming an international sensation with fans around the world taking noting of his power and prowess in the ring and his charm and charisma outside of the ring. Following wins over former World Champions Carlos Baldomir and Lovemore N'Dou in 2010, Alvarez kicked off 2011 with a March victory over Matthew Hatton that earned him the WBC Super Welterweight World Championship. Three months later, Alvarez returned to Guadalajara for a homecoming title defense and victory over Ryan Rhodes that captivated a nation. With his American fan base growing at a meteoric pace, Alvarez will hold court in the City of Angels as he defends his title from STAPLES Center and fights for the Mexican people against ultra-tough Alfonso Gomez.

"I'm happy to come back to fight in Los Angeles at STAPLES Center for another Mexican Independence Day weekend," said Alvarez. "Alfonso Gomez is a good fighter and also from Guadalajara, Mexico. I hope the fight will be explosive because that is what the fans will be looking for between two Mexican warriors like us, but I feel confident I am going to win the fight."

A fan favorite who was present in American living rooms every week when he competed on "The Contender" reality show, Alfonso Gomez (23-4-2, 12 KO's) has proven that he has what it takes to battle it out with the elite in the years since his stint on national television. The owner of wins over Arturo Gatti, Ben Tackie, and Jesse Brinkley, the 30-year old Los Angeles resident (who originally hails from Guadalajara) has also faced current WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Miguel Cotto and Peter Manfredo Jr., but he is currently showing the best form of his 10-year career thanks to a five-fight winning streak that includes victories over Jesus Soto Karass and Jose Luis Castillo. Now, he prepares for his second world title shot as he takes on Canelo Alvarez on September 17.

"Canelo's popularity is great for him and for boxing," said Gomez. "I know Canelo's team thinks I'm just another notch on his belt, but it's not the first time a popular fighter made the same mistake. I've fought and beaten much better competition and I'm coming to win the world title. Canelo and I come from the same place and we are both Mexican warriors. I heard there's another fight happening in Las Vegas on September 17, but as far as I'm concerned, the best fight on that day will be at STAPLES Center. I can think of no better way to celebrate Mexican Independence Day weekend...Viva Mexico!"

"STAR POWER: Mayweather vs. Ortiz" is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions, and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, DeWALT Tools and AT&T. The 12-round mega-fight, which will be contested for Ortiz's WBC Welterweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, Sept. 17 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev.

"STAR POWER LOS ANGELES: Alvarez vs. Gomez" is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions, and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, DeWALT Tools and AT&T. The 12-roundfight, which will be contested for Alvarez's WBC Super Welterweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, Sept. 17 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

The Mayweather vs. Ortiz & Alvarez vs. Gomez pay-per-view telecast, which begins at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Mayweather vs. Ortiz fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.

HBO®'s Emmy® Award-winning all-access series "24/7" premieres an all-new edition when "24/7 Mayweather/Ortiz" debuts Saturday, Aug. 27 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The four-part series will air for three consecutive Saturday nights before the finale airs the night before the welterweight championship showdown in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS (July 21 2011) – Undefeated middleweight prospect Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin may be a prizefighter, rather than a baseball player, but never-the-less, the talented Cuban-American plans to hit a curveball out of the park Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Coming off of an explosive third-round destruction of former world title challenger Jesse Brinkley this past April for the USBO super middleweight title, Quillin (24-0, 18 KOs) prepared for the last eight weeks to fight once again in his natural weight class against veteran middleweight “Marvelous” Tarvis Simms (27-1-1, 11 KOs), a southpaw, in a 10-round bout on Saturday night’s Amir Khan vs. Zab Judah undercard at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Quillin-Simms, however, was recently cancelled when Tarvis reportedly broke a rib in training camp. Now, the International Boxing Federation No. 5-rated Quillin, fighting out of Los Angeles, is facing an entirely different fighter, Jason “The Hammer” LeHoullier(21-5-1, 8 KOs).

“I sparred and trained to fight a southpaw, Simms, and now I’m fighting a right-handed boxer,” Quillin said. “Hey, I’m a fighter and I can adjust to anybody. When Simms fell out all I cared about was still fighting. Jason LeHoullier stepped in and took a fight with 1 ½ weeks to go and that’s something not many guys would do against a top-level fighter like me. I’m not taking anything away from him because fighters like him can be dangerous. He may be coming in here trying to shock the world, tired of hearing people say he can’t win, and that could cause problems. But, I am totally focused on him. I know he’s a guy who puts it all on the line, but he’s facing a guy who can box and is a big puncher. I’m going to set him up, and then, bang like a firecracker.”

Quillin has received a lot of attention lately because his trainer, Freddie Roach, went public saying "Kid Chocolate” can beat world middleweight champion Sergio Martinez. “I would have been ready to fight Sergio Martinez on July 23,” Quillin added. “Physically, I’m ready and I would have been 10 times more ready mentally for that fight. For now, though, I’m 100-percent focused on Jason LeHoullier. After this fight, I’ll be ready to fight anybody in the world, including Sergio Martinez. The sky’s the limit for me. If everything goes right Saturday night, I’d like to comeback right away and fight September 17. But, I’m not into the business end of boxing, I’m a fighter, and I’ll let my promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, and manager, John Seip, take care of that.”

Quillin-LeHoullier is a scheduled 10-round bout on the non-televised portion of the Khan-Judah world junior welterweight unification fight on HBO.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

NEW YORK, NY (July 20, 2011) – Today at the 230 Fifth Rooftop Lounge, under the sweltering Manhattan sun, middleweight champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez and “Dazzling” Darren Barker, along with members of their respective camps and other boxing luminaries, gathered to announce “Noche de ‘Maravilla’” – or “Marvelous Night” – their October 1 clash emanating from historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

As the press conference got going at noon in New York City, simultaneously tickets were going on sale. Tickets for “Noche de ‘Maravilla’” are priced at $300, $200, $150, and $50 and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, at any Ticketmaster retail outlet, or in person at the Boardwalk Hall box office.

Below are comments from participants in today’s kick-off press conference:

Sergio Martinez, Middleweight World Champion:

“I want to thank HBO and DiBella Entertainment and Sampson Lewkowicz, my adviser. I also want to thank Darren and all of his team.”

“I hope to see everyone on October 1.”

Darren Barker, Challenger:

“It’s nice to see this New York sun keeping my belt warm.”

“I am from London, my father was a boxer; I grew up around boxing. I’ve dedicated my life to this sport. I had over amateur 100 fights, fighting in hostile environments in other countries and coming away with medals. I live for that moment.”

“There is a great series of movies, Rocky. They captured the mentality of the underdog. If the favorite always won in sport, it wouldn’t be any fun. I’m here to prove that the underdog can cause a massive upset. So, you may not know who I am now, but come October 1, you will know exactly who ‘Dazzling’ Darren Barker is.”

Lou DiBella, Promoter of “Noche de ‘Maravilla’”:

“We believe this will be Maravilla’s night, but there is a man, ‘Dazzling’ Darren Barker, who wanted this fight. He called for this fight. And you should reward those who want the big fights.”

“There are plenty of $50 tickets, so this is an affordable night of great boxing.”

“HBO has made a commitment to Sergio Martinez since he came to America. HBO has made a commitment to showcasing the best of boxing.”

“Sergio Martinez respects Darren Barker and that’s why this fight is happening. Darren took to twitter and, bizarrely, that is how this fight happened. Eddie Hearn and I basically did the negotiations over twitter. This might be the first major fight ever made over twitter.”

“Sergio Martinez is a great champion. Not only one of the best fighters I’ve ever promoted, but one of the best guys I’ve ever promoted. He’s an extremely bright guy with a wonderful social consensus. He is, in fact, maravilla.”

Eddie Hearn, Barker’s Promoter:

“This fight was made in about 20 minutes on twitter, but that’s the relationship we have with Lou.”

“It’s been interesting talking to the press today, and they’re asking me who Darren Barker is. In England, he’s well renowned, but we quite like not being known. Darren has never even been in a fight where he has remotely been in trouble, so it’s hard to say how good Darren Barker is.”

“When we signed Darren Barker, we sat down and looked at the future, and he said to us ‘you might think I’m crazy, but if you ever get the chance to make a fight with Sergio Martinez, make it happen.’ And that’s why we take our hat off to Darren. He wants to fight the best middleweight in the world, because if you beat the best middleweight in the world, you are the best middleweight in the world. On October 1, Darren has the chance to become the best middleweight in the world.”

“Darren is a determined young man who has been through a lot of trials and tribulations, but he has remained committed to his dream. And [the press conference] is part of the dream, but it’s only half of the dream. We believe we can shock the world, and we wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

Kery Davis, Senior VP Programming for HBO Sports:

“What can you say about Sergio Martinez? 2010 FOY of the year, 2010 KOY, a great start to 2011 with a knockout of Sergiy Dziniziruk. This is Sergio’s sixth appearance on the network and he always puts on a great performance. He is quick, powerful, charismatic, and I swear Lou and Sampson are going to announce soon that they have signed him with Dos Equis to play “The Most Interesting Man in the World.”

“In looking at tapes of Darren Barker, he has a tremendous background. And he impressed us quite a bit with something he said leading up to this. He said he has been fighting for 16 years and its all leading up to this. That is the kind of fighting spirit we are looking for.”

Ken Condon, Representative of Caesars Atlantic City:

“Tickets are very reasonable for this level of fight, starting at $50 going up to $300 for ringside. This will be Sergio’s fourth fight in Atlantic City and he has developed a following here. It has become his home away from home.”

“From what I’ve heard, not too many people what to fight Sergio Martinez, but Darren Barker stepped up to the plate. I urge people to come down, enjoy the fall in Atlantic City, and enjoy your weekend on the shore.”

Jim Mercante, Representative of the World Boxing Council:

“We are here on a hot, hot day for New York to kick off what is going to be a hot, hot fight. This is the type of fight that my father, Arthur Mercante, would have wanted to referee.”

“Noche de ‘Maravilla’: Martinez vs. Barker” is being presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Matchroom Sport, and Caesars Atlantic City, and is sponsored by Corona. The show will be aired live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT.

Tickets, which begin at just $50, can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, at any Ticketmaster retail outlet, or in person at the Boardwalk Hall box office. Ringside seats are only $300 for this night of championship boxing.

“Noche de ‘Maravilla’: Martinez vs. Barker” is being presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Matchroom Sport and Caesars Atlantic City, and is sponsored by Corona. The show will be aired LIVE on HBO’s World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

New York, NY (July 13, 2011) – DiBella Entertainment has added middleweight contender Brian Vera to its stable of fighters. Vera, 29, is a Mexican-American from Austin, TX, who is a straightforward brawler capable winning big fights, no matter what the odds are. In his 24-fight career, Vera (19-5, 12 KOs) has upset the applecart, and top middleweights, on several occasions.

In his last bout on June 24, Vera impressively stopped Eloy Suarez with a body shot in the eighth round.

“There are boxers, there are runners, and then there are fighters. Brian Vera is a fighter and he will give anyone in the middleweight division a fight,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Just look at his record and you will see that Brian Vera has never backed down from a challenge. That's the kind of guy that anyone would be happy to promote.”

After winning fourteen consecutive fights between 2004 and 2007 to begin his career, Vera joined the cast of season three of The Contender reality television show. In his first bout as a member of the cast, he lost the first fight of his career, a second round knockout at the hands of eventual finalist Jaidon Codrington. Vera made his mark on the show, however, when he returned on the undercard of the finals bout between Codrington and Sakio Bika, by winning a clear cut unanimous decision over fellow show participant Max Alexander.

One fight later, in the biggest win of his career, Vera got off the deck to stop the then-undefeated and highly touted prospect Andy Lee in the seventh round in March 2008.

Since then, Vera has refused to back down from a challenge. He has gotten in the ring with some of the top names in and around the middleweight decision. His wins over Sebastian Demers and The Contender season one winner Sergio Mora have propelled him into a full-fledged middleweight contender. His losses to James Kirkland, Craig McEwan, Issac Rodrigues, and Maksym Bursak have only enforced Vera’s reputation as an all action warrior who won’t back down from a challenge.

“Fighting big names is what motivates me,” said Vera. “With DiBella Entertainment I want to take on all comers and eventually get my chance at the middleweight championship.”

Vera’s DiBella Entertainment debut is anticipated for this fall. Full details will be announced in the coming days.

For more information about DiBella Entertainment, including a list of all upcoming bouts, please visit www.dbe1.com, or follow Lou DiBella on twitter, @loudibella.

The Shimoda-Ramos fight was on the verge of being called off when Rigondeaux’ Irish manager, Gary Hyde, through renown boxing lawyer Patrick English, lodged an objection to the WBA. The action resulted in the promoters for both Shimoda and Ramos being instructed to make a deal with Team Rigondeaux or their fight wouldn’t be sanctioned.

As WBA world Interim champion, Rigo should have been the next challenger for Shimoda's title, but the Japanese champion by-passed Rigondeaux in favor of an easier title defense against Ramos.

Top Rank-promoted Rigo will now fight Ramos (20-0, 7 KOs) and the Cuban sensation has vowed to take the title belt from Ramos. “I stepped aside and let the fight go ahead,” Rigondeaux explained, “even though they ignored the fact that I was next in line. Ramos will soon regret that he won the title when we get it on.

“Ramos is a tough, aggressive fighter but those types of fighters suit me. I promise he will not have enough time to enjoy this victory because I will be taking that belt from him when we meet in the ring. My goal is to be the undisputed 122-pound world champion and I want to achieve this goal by the end 2012.”

Rigondeaux, arguably the greatest amateur boxer of all-time, defected from Cuba and made his pro debut May 22, 2009, won the NABA super bantamweight title in his third action as a pro and last November in only his seventh fight, he won a 12-round decision against Ricardo Cordoba (37-2-2) to become the WBA Interim 122-pound divisional champion. His last fight was an opening-round destruction of former European champion Willie Casey (11-1) last March in Dublin.

A crafty southpaw and deadly body puncher, Rigondeaux (8-0, 6 KOs) now fights out of Miami, and trains in Houston with Ronnie Shields. Rigo is a 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist, as well as a 7-time national champion who captured a pair of World Championship titles during his amazing 243-4 amateur career.

The pipes were clear; the energy through the roof and the main event took place right where he likes it, in his kill zone area. The Colonel, Bob Sheridan, was back on the air calling another championship fight that is rapidly nearing the thousand mark. Top Rank’s Director of TV production, Marty Corwin told the Colonel “You were in mid-season form, it was like you never left.”

A legendary announcing career that dates all the way back to his call of the “Rumble in Jungle” between Ali and Foreman, at the Mai Stadium in Kinshasa, Zaire back on October 30, 1974, was back on the air. Only this time The Colonel’s journey to announce a fight was longer than any he had ever had for this itinerary transcended life and death.

Saturday night from the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, the main event of Brandon Rios and Urbano Antillon was the kind of fights the Colonel loves to call. It took place in the zone he likes to call “The Kill Zone”. It’s that zone where boxers enter inside arms length where angles, waist and head movements are vital for survival. It is the kill zone because a fighter enters it willing to pay the price of knowing it is kill or be killed.

Rios was magnificent as was Antillon in bringing the fight to each other, it was one of those great fights where the ebb and flow had the Antillon and Rios fans seemingly doing the wave, taking turns jumping up and down. But even if it would not have been that great a fight, no problem. The Colonel has been known to use his pipes and rhetoric to make an ordinary seem extraordinary.

As the Colonel likes to describe his craft “I’m an entertainer, not a journalist and I am having fun calling the fight.” Nobody has had more fun in life than the Colonel but when faced with death he realized “Dying is easy, living is the hard part.”

Back from 30 days in a coma with fluid in his lungs, pneumonia, major back surgery and a rehab program that was 24/7 for over 6-months, The Colonel is back and there is no ten count to be heard for him, just his booming voice and passion for the sport he loves.

It was as if the Colonel’s beloved friend, ring announcer Jimmy Lennon announced the verdict of it all, “And still…the heavyweight champion announcer of all time…The Colonel, Bob Sheridan.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Local Favorites McLeod-Wells, Monaghan, Peterkin, & Parsley To See Action On The Undercard

By: Alex Dombroff

NEW YORK, NY (July 8, 2011) – New York City’s longest running and most successful professional boxing series, Broadway Boxing, returns July 30 to the Aviator Sports and Events Center at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. In the main event, the series’ mainstay Gabriel Bracero returns in the main event in the wake of his most impressive victory. Bracero will take on Danie “The White Lion” Van Staden (8-6, 2 KOs) of Key West, FL.

Those scheduled to see action on the undercard include several of the most popular and exciting pugilists that the New York fight scene has to offer, such as flyweight Keisher McLeod-Wells, light heavyweight Seanie Monaghan, junior middleweight Delen Parsley, and light heavyweight Joe Smith Jr. In addition, middleweight Jonathan Cepeda, Brooklyn heavyweight Travis Peterkin, 2-0 (2 KOs), and heavyweight Todd Brown, 32, 3-0 (2 KOs), of St. Louis, MO, will face opponents to be named, as well as cruiserweight Jay Rodriguez, of Queens, NY, making his pro debut.

Tickets for Broadway Boxing are on sale now through DiBella Entertainment, and start at only $55. Tickets can be purchased by calling DiBella Entertainment at (212) 947-2577. VIP tables for 10 are also available.

Brooklyn junior welterweight prospect Gabriel “Tito” Bracero (16-0, 2 KOs), 30, is returning to the platform that has become home court for him. July 30 will mark his eighth appearance on Broadway Boxing. Bracero is coming off his most impressive victory to date, knocking out Guillermo Valdes in just 40 seconds at Roseland Ballroom on July 11, celebrating his heritage during Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend. A two-time New York Golden Gloves champion and Junior Olympics champion, Bracero turned pro in 2001, at the age of 20, scoring five four-round decisions. However, his career would be put on hold as he succumbed to the lure of the streets and spent time in prison on a weapons charge. Refocused upon his release, Bracero resumed his career in 2009 and has won 11 in a row. Until recently, Bracero was not known to have much power, but his style is that of a volume puncher who applies relentless pressure in wearing opponents down.

Flyweight Keisher “Fire” McLeod-Wells (4-1, 1 KO), 34, of New York, NY, is a slick boxer with a stinging jab, who will be making her third appearance on Broadway Boxing, this time in a New York State title bout. After an accomplished amateur career that included 12 titles, four of which were New York Golden Gloves championships, McLeod-Wells turned pro on February 3, 2009, with a 55-second knockout over Treasure Saunders at the Masonic Temple in Brooklyn. “Fire” then traveled to Panama, going 1-1 in a pair of fights in May and July of that year. After defeating Abigail Villar in a four-round unanimous decision, McLeod-Wells then lost a controversial four-round majority decision to Laura Ledezma. Avoided by many fighters near her weight class, McLeod-Wells was forced into a bit of a layoff before taking a spot on a DiBella Entertainment-promoted show at BB King Blues Club, on March 31, 2010, winning a four-round unanimous decision over Laura Gomez. In her last fight, McLeod-Wells moved up to six-rounders, winning a unanimous decision over Melissa McMorrow, on February 9, 2011.

Dominican middleweight Jonathan Cepeda (10-0, 9 KOs), 27, of West Palm Beach, FL, is a rugged power puncher, who has shown poise and patience in the ring while stalking his foes, looking for openings. He is coming off seven consecutive knockout victories, and turned pro as a middleweight, on November 21, 2008, with a first round stoppage of Charles Wade in Florida. In his last bout on April 16, Cepeda needed just 129 seconds to knock out Brad Austin in North Carolina.

Seanie Monaghan (7-0, 4 KOs), 28, is an Irish brick layer out of Long Beach, NY. Despite a lack of amateur experience, with just 15 bouts, Monaghan was able to reach the finals of the New York Golden Gloves before turning pro in May 2010. Making up for his minimal amateur background, Monaghan is maintaining a busy schedule as a pro at light heavyweight, as his fight on July 30 will be his fourth this year thus far. In March, Monaghan fought twice, winning unanimous four-round decisions over Billy Cunningham and Michael Glenn.

Delen “Sniper” Parsley (5-0, 2 KOs), 23, of Brooklyn, NY, is a former amateur standout and son of famed Gleason’s Gym coach Delen “Blimp” Parsley. Turning pro in July 2009 as a junior middleweight, Parsley’s last two ring appearances have taken place at the BB King Blues Club on Broadway Boxing. In both fights, Parsley, standing 6’2”, used his exceptional height to his advantage in winning unanimous decisions over Eberto Medina in a four-rounder then graduating to six rounds in defeating David Lopez.

After winning the New York Golden Gloves as a novice in 2008, light heavyweight Joe Smith Jr., of Mastic, NY, turned professional on Halloween 2009 in explosive fashion. Smith, now 6-1 (6 KOs), started his pro career with four first-round knockouts followed by two second-round stoppages. However, when he steps back into the ring on July 30 at the Aviator, it will be at the same venue at which he sustained his first defeat, a fourth-round TKO to Eddie Caminero last August, that saw him suffer a broken jaw.

Tickets for Broadway Boxing are on sale now through DiBella Entertainment, and start at only $55. VIP Ringside tickets are $125, Floor Seat tickets are $75, and General Admission tickets are $55. Tickets can be purchased by calling DiBella Entertainment at (212) 947-2577, and more information can be obtained by visiting www.dbe1.com.

This Saturday night, on the undercard of the IBF Super Middleweight World Championship between Lucian Bute (28-0, 23KO's) and IBF #1 contender, Jean-Paul Mendy (29-0-1, 16KO's), WBO European Bantamweight Champion, Sahib Usarov (15-0, 6KO's) will make his Star Boxing debut when he takes on hard-hitting Sergio Gomez Acevedo (16-8, 12KO's) in an eight-round super bantamweight match-up. The bout is promoted by EuroPlus Computers S.R.L. and Interbox in association with Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing.

The southpaw Usarov, picked up the vacant WBO European belt with a twelve-round shut-out over Alexander Fedorov in October of 2009. Since then he has fought just twice, including a win over previously undefeated Ilhom Rahimov. Looking to be more active and to begin making a name for himself on the world scene, Usarov signed with Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing earlier this spring. The bout on Saturday night will only be Usarov's second outside of Russia.

"Sahib is a very exciting fighter, and we think he can immediately become a major player in his division," stated Joe DeGuardia, CEO of Star Boxing. "This is a great opportunity for him to be able to fight on a card of this magnitude, before a sold out crowd. We expect Sahib to win and win impressively, and are looking forward to bringing him over state-side sometime in the very near future."

Undefeated WBA Lightweight champion Brandon "Bam Bam" Rios, Oxnard, California and top-rated contender Urbano Antillon, Maywood, California pose during the final press conference for their upcoming World Lightweight title fight on Saturday, July 9 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California, USA.